Experiencing Burnout and Overwhelm?
I’m not sure if it’s just the point in my life right now or if it was 2020...but either way, I’ve been fighting burnout for a bit. What about you? Are you sitting there in your PJs for the third day in a row, wishing you bought two gallons of milk for all the cereal you have been eating? I mean, cereal is the breakfast of champs, so why not have it for all three meals? If this sounds familiar, then you are probably experiencing some burnout or overwhelm.
We all get some kind of burnout and overwhelm from time to time. When we do, we stop and let things pile up. Guess what happens next? Things get even more overwhelming as the projects at work don’t get finished (making you dread going to work), the laundry is twice as high, and as my mama used to say “those dishes ain’t going to wash themselves.”
How do you get over this?
You start by getting your shit clean and organized!
Get rid of stuff!
Literally! Throw it in a box and drop it off at the local thrift store. Cancel some plans and obligations. Free up your mental space so you can relax and not feel so wound up. This also allows you to return to some of the fun things you really want to do.
(Think about that book you’ve had on your nightstand for two months just waiting for you to pick it up...surely I’m not the only one procrastinating on the fun stuff!)
Once you get started you will feel so much better - believe me! Now, I’ll confess. I have to do this every few months. No less than twice a year...I like to think of it as spring and fall cleaning. We accumulate tons of stuff that we don’t want or need so this is a perfect time to get rid of both the tangible and intangible crap in our life.
Clean your space.
Your visual landscape is a HUGE impact on your mental space. If you can see it, it works its way in your mind even when you don’t notice. Clutter is sneaky like that. You never really know how it got there, where it goes, or what in the hell you are going to do with it.
This has been my art space before…
And likely will be again.
I don’t usually notice how bad it’s getting until it’s beyond a little clutter...then it’s a full-on surplus store in my house! Does your office space, bedroom, or dining room table look like you are ready for a yard sale? If so, keep reading.
When you see that clutter, do the following.
Drag the trash can over.
Bring a box for the thrift store.
Crank up your favorite Spotify playlist and get going!
Sort things to go (trash or upcycle) and to stay (find a home for them by the end of the day!)
How do you decide what to keep?
Well, first you need to assess what you actually need or use often.
Do you use the big blender or do you have one that is obviously more user-friendly since you use it twice a week and the other maybe twice a year? If you get rid of the big blender, that means less clutter on the top of the fridge. If you put something else in that place, make sure it’s something you use or it provides better organization (like a cereal box crate or breadbox).
You probably use most of your furniture but do you have too many lamps? If so, pick the ones that are your favorites to keep. The others need a new home. That can be another place in your house or in the box heading to the thrift store where someone else will love them. You can sell items online IF you have the room to store them or if they are very valuable, but put a time limit on how long you will go this route.
Can you ever have too many Buddha’s?
If you are a mom you likely have that pile of awards, art projects, and macaroni necklaces in a drawer, on the counter, or in a tote under the bed. Let me tell you, the route to go for this stuff (especially if you have more than one kid) is to thin the herd and stash that stuff out of sight a few times a year (after school ends, before school starts, holiday breaks, etc). Pick times of the year that you notice you have a pile of papers rising like you wish your dinner rolls would!
*Bonus info: the process of “linking” these activities make it easier to develop the habit to declutter, feel satisfied to have some of your kid’s art projects, AND have a clean spot in the house now.
Storing sentimental items helps you to have less clutter. It also provides safe storage...and that is way better than keeping it on the coffee table, causing yourself anxiety, and praying no one knocks it off or spills coffee on it. Don’t get me wrong, prayers work wonders but I’ve not yet been able to remove a coffee stain through my conversations with Jesus.
Always review and assess the changes. If there is more room, that is great; but remember, great organization is also necessary. If your space isn’t usable, then it’s still “cluttered.”
How do you decide what to keep?
Assess what you need or use often. Make sure you can get to your items easily so you can make smooth use of the space.
If you have multiples of things you don’t really need then cast off those chains of duplicates and be free my friend (Oops...I got carried away!).
Determine if it fulfills a desire or has sentimental value.
Storage solutions can be outta sight (literally or esthetically).
I have more tips for you but if you are already overwhelmed, then I think we need to end this blog with “to be continued” for the time being. I encourage you to spend the week looking at your space (start with ONE space, not the whole house!) and decide how to make it a little better than it was last week.
Peace and Love,
Teresea
Photo credit: Unsplash
